'Skins Offense Didn't Produce

`Report Card

September 09, 1997|By WARNER HESSLER Daily Press

PITTSBURGH — Defense, they say, is going to ruin the Washington Redskins' 1997 season. Those four blocks of Swiss cheese up front are going to be the reason Washington loses games it should win and fails to make the playoffs again.

Well, it could happen, but it hasn't happened yet. The Redskins received their first loss Sunday, 14-13 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but you couldn't hang that one on the defense.

It was offense, that high-powered attack that looked so wonderful moving up and down the field, that lost this one. Put the blame on an offense that collected 354 yards, crossed midfield on five of six possessions and didn't score a touchdown.

The Redskins have given up 557 yards - 380 of that on the ground. They have done a lot of bending, but they haven't broken. So what if they have allowed 24 points in two games? Twenty-five teams have allowed more.

The blame for Sunday's unnecessary loss goes where it normally goes - to the quarterback.

Take away five of his 35 passes, and Gus Frerotte had his best game as a pro. Six of his completions were for 20 yards or more, and he completed eight of 10 passes for 112 yards on third-down situations and produced seven first downs.

All of that was exciting, but it didn't lead to anything. Quarterbacks are schooled and paid big money to know when to hold 'em and when to throw 'em, and Frerotte's three interceptions came on passes he knew he shouldn't have thrown.

Tight end Jamie Asher was being held up in the end zone by a safety on the first one, but Gus threw anyway. Receiver Leslie Shepherd was locked up with a safety in the back of the end zone on the second one. Frerotte threw a low, hard one anyway and was intercepted by a linebacker. Later, Asher was sandwiched by a linebacker and cornerback, but Gus threw anyway.

Then there were those overthrown passes to Shepherd and Alvin Harper that could have produced touchdowns.

Even if the Redskins had won by 30 points, these mistakes would have been easily noticed. In a one-point loss, they were magnified. The report card:

QUARTERBACK. For what it's worth, Frerotte didn't miss two plays in the fourth quarter because he was hurt. He lost a contact lens. Grade: F.

RUNNING BACKS. Young Stephen Davis was given decent marks for gaining 66 yards on 19 carries in place of injured Terry Allen, but he won't get a good grade here. Allen's strength, and the strength of most good running backs, is hitting the right hole and making the first tackler miss. Davis, running behind the best blocking effort of the young season, went only as far as the hole allowed. He was taken down by the first tackler on 18 of 19 carries. Allen might have had 150 yards. Grade: C-minus.

RECEIVERS. Shepherd, with five catches for 87 yards, keeps making big plays and is reducing Michael Westbrook's playing time. He and Henry Ellard, four catches for 78 yards, have nailed down the starting spots. Asher caught six balls but ran two lazy routes on the interceptions. Grade: B.

OFFENSIVE LINE. Very nice job. The unit gave Davis 66 yards of running room, and Gus generally had plenty of time to throw. Left tackle Shar Pourdanesh held Greg Lloyd to no tackles and no assists. Grade: A.

DEFENSIVE LINE. OK, so they are four blocks of Swiss cheese and they did do a lot of bending. Some of the holes were plugged in the second half when 331-pound tackle Keith Rucker came in and made four tackles. Grade: D.

LINEBACKERS. Rookie Derek Smith is supposed to be the weak link on a unit that includes such high-priced talent as Ken Harvey and Marvcus Patton. But Patton had a so-so game, Harvey was rarely seen making a play, and Smith came up with 10 tackles and the team's only sack. Grade: B-minus.

SECONDARY. Safety Stanley Richard had the kind of game that looks good on paper but not on game film. He was credited with a team-leading seven tackles, but four came by being the nearest Redskin to a runner going out of bounds. He also received four assists on four missed tackles. Safety Jesse Campbell did have a good day with seven tackles, and corners Cris Dishman and Darrell Green combined for 10. The Redskins were pretty sad up front when you consider defensive backs made 20 of the 38 tackles and 10 of the 29 assists. Grade: B.

SPECIAL TEAMS. Scott Blanton remained perfect for the season with two field goals and Brian Mitchell had a 97-yard kickoff return. Coverage was so-so, again. Grade: B-plus.

COACHING. Coach Norv Turner devised another clever game plan that opened holes for Davis and gave Frerotte a lot of open targets. Mike Nolan's defense is resilient if not immovable. Putting players in a position to succeed is all a coach can do. Grade: A.